Same Place ...Different Day
By: Laura Hughes
I was in Zion National Park over the Christmas Holiday hoping for snow, but didn't get any! I wanted to create some high contrast graphic images with snow, trees and rocks. I love high contrast photography. When done well some high contrast photos remind me of the 15th Century etchings of Durer and other engravers who were the great chroniclers of nature in their day. Driving through the canyon I turned the bend and was startled to see the amazing contrast of white bark against the black shadows of the granite wall.
Comment:
I was also in Zion about a week later. Like Laura I did not see what I thought I might. Instead we both seemed to find similar settings. Laura's use of the fence in the foreground represents a safe place in the composition. In mine I used the canopy of the trees for the same effect. Laura's use of the shadow outline to frame the trees mimics the tree line, as I've tried to do with the cloud pattern. The ability to have snow in the image gives reason for the bare trees and I think, expectation for the animals behavior. The mystery and unknown is both heightened and softened by the use of the fence in Laura's. Since I did not have this element in my composition, I've tried to compensate with the deer in the foreground as an element of invitation of entry into the composition.
The placement of the fallen tree behind the fence lends a great deal to the composition. It would not be nearly as strong without it.
Thanks Laura for your image.
Your comments are always welcome. f8andbethere@cableone.net